Nicole_Stomping Ground Herbals Founder

Meet the Maker: Stomping Ground Herbals

When I think of Stomping Ground Herbals, the image I conjure in my head involves a lush garden, shelves of organized jars containing dried herbs, and someone entirely in their element. Nicole Mattingly, the Founder […]

Cindy-Sarver-Textile-Revival-Maker-Owner-Vintage-Fashion

Meet the Maker: Textile Revival

This is the story of a woman whose path brought her to middle Tennessee, where she started a business that married her two loves, art and fashion. Hailing from Iowa, Cindy Sarver found herself drawn […]

Cheese Board

Holiday Gathering Gifts

The holiday season here! It’s a time to slow down, spend time with family and friends and make memories that will last a lifetime. As you make plans to partake in holiday festivities, consider these […]

Compostable Coffee Cup

The Anatomy of a To-Go Coffee Cup

The paper to-go coffee cup became mainstream in 1987 thanks to one man’s decision — Howard Schultz. Then CEO of Starbucks, Schultz chose paper over styrofoam cups for the expanding brand’s beverage vessel.  According to […]

TerraKlay Founder

Meet the Maker: Manvee Vaid of TerraKlay

In our fast-paced world that’s so focused on instant gratification, Manvee Vaid started a business that embraces slow, meaningful and deliberate.  During her Fine Arts studies she discovered a vast abundance of art being crafted […]

Gifts wrapped in brown paper

Give Greener

The holiday season is here and it’s one of my favorite times of the year.  I love the festiveness, time with friends and family, and the warmth of the season.  We put so much effort […]

Embracing Locally Grown

We live in a time where our culture of convenience has created an environment of seemingly endless and instant food availability.  According to the NYT, half of all the fruit and a third of all […]

Liz Verdant Wild Founder

Meet the Maker: Verdant Wild Apothecary

I recently had the opportunity to connect with Liz Hodges, the creator of Verdant Wild Apothecary, a small batch, botanical skincare line. Down to earth and happiest in nature, Liz creates holistic products by marrying […]

Reusable_Paper_towels

A Better Picker-Upper

I start every morning with a scroll through my Apple News feed.  Of course I have favorited topics pertaining to the environment and sustainability to keep up-to-date so I can share insights and positive news […]

Fruit in a Reusable Bag

Living With Less Plastic

Plastic Free July is a campaign that encourages us to look at our relationship with plastic. How much plastic do we use on a daily basis?  Where can we make adjustments to switch to reusable […]

Effervescence

Meet the Maker: Effervescence

There’s a hopefulness each of us can identify with when talking to the young woman behind Effervescence, a line of natural skincare and haircare products.  Rose Quinn started Effervescence with the intent to make sustainable, […]

Just pulled onions

Natural & Organic, What’s the Difference?

A common misconception exists amongst shoppers when it comes to the labels ‘natural’ and ‘organic’. Most people think that the two are equally safe, healthy and environmentally sound; in reality, they’re vastly different. This common […]

Mother's Day Gift Guide

Mother’s Day Gift Guide

This Mother’s Day, show your love for mom with one of our hand-picked gift ideas. You’ll be supporting small businesses from all over the country who make ethical and sustainable products. Photos by: 1. Farmgirl […]

Lunchskins

Bye-Bye Ziploc®: Plastic-Free Lunch

Did you know the average American uses around 500 single use plastic baggies a year?  Only a small portion of those baggies will ever be recycled, the majority instead ending up in landfills and waterways […]

Reusable Produce Bag

Behind the ‘Organic’ Label

Understanding what organic means and what it applies to can be confusing. What types of products does the USDA certification apply to? What does it mean when the word ‘organic’ is used on a label? […]

Washed Out Salon

City Guide: Los Angeles

Los Angeles is known for beaches, sun, celebrities, Rodeo Drive and the glamour of Hollywood, but if you scratch the surface, this urban sprawl has so much more to offer. I collaborated with my favorite […]

Jeans

Sustainable Fashion: Viscose

When it comes to purchasing clothing, there are endless options at our fingertips. What makes one fabric better or more sustainable than another? What are the environmental impacts of creating clothing and how will it […]

Brand Spotlight: Christy Dawn

Christy Dawn is a brand that will transport you to a picturesque field, filled with vibrant flowers, accented by a soft blue sky. A Los Angeles based brand with roots in an earth friendly ethos, […]

Long Hungry Creek Farm

Biodynamic Farming

Biodynamic farming is defined by the Biodynamics Association as a holistic, ecological, and ethical approach to farming, gardening, food, and nutrition. The practice of biodynamic farming was first introduced in the 1920’s by Dr. Rudolf Steiner, […]

Lip Balms

You’re the Balm

Cold weather always means keeping lip balm within arms reach.  Choosing a lip balm with non-toxic ingredients is at the top of our list of course, but even the best ingredients have traditionally been housed […]

Beeswax Wrap

The Future of Convenience

To understand how small businesses came to be, we have to step back in time. Around 800BC  the citizens of ancient Greece organized the first iteration of shopping small with an open air market where […]

Vintage Jacket

MadAndie Brand Spotlight

Elizabeth Graf has always had a love for vintage.  “The imperfections and stories behind every piece of old jewelry and furniture fascinate me. There has yet to be a vintage typewriter, metal box or wood […]